Final Flight of the Ghost *video*

[nuts-n-volts]

Re: Final Flight of the Ghost *video*

Beautiful, well done video, Jason. Thank-you

[Coyote Chris]

Re: Final Flight of the Ghost *video*

I hope there is a way you can legally "sell" a dvd to us with this and maybe some of your other excellent work...so that you dont loose any money and are compensated for your time, too. And, Maybe like the T-shirt idea, make some money for Jimmy's family, etc. Ideally, (I am a dreamer) Rara would incorporate this into their footage they were taking for their DVD, include the T-shirt, and promote it so that even more folk give money to a memorial fund. It has always bothered me that tickets to the air races were always dirt cheep. Raise the price a few bucks and set up a memorial fund, I always thought....but then I was thinking only of the race pilots and air show acts....I financially support my other sports and would like to support a well managed fund for this one....just a thought.

[First time Juke]

Re: Final Flight of the Ghost *video*

Amazing footage...and very informative about the Ghost pitch up etc. Thanks Jason !

[JCP]

Re: Final Flight of the Ghost *video*

There is no better friend to all of us Air Racers (and fans for that matter) than Matt Jackson.... He walks the walk and takes the time to speak to us all with the kind of sincerity that captures the attention of even the most seasoned veterans in the room. Thanks Matt for always getting our minds right in the briefs before we race and for having the love of this sport to take the time to explain your thoughts to the fans of this sport who love it just as much as us pilots that are lucky enough to round the pylons.

You are a Class Act.

JC Paul

[RarebearFan77]

Re: Final Flight of the Ghost *video*

Again, great job on the video Jason. I still think i'm seeing flutter while he is still banked 90 degrees to the left just after GG was upset.... Just my 02

[recips4ever]

Re: Final Flight of the Ghost *video*

I'd like to also add my sincere thanks to Jason for allowing us to see this video.

I've studied it frame by frame for a fair bit, and my "opinion" is that a/the failure in the left trim tab (or some part of the trim tab mechanism) caused the first roll to the left (over-bank). This view/moment is what leads me to that opinion:



This frame is just after the roll to the left begins. To my eye, the left horizontal appears noticeably deflected "downward" at the tip. I believe this would be the expected "reaction" of the horizontal if that trim tab did fail (huge forces at ~500 TAS). Jimmy catches the roll almost instantly, however the pitch rate is already increasing rapidly.

A frame or two after this one, the pitch change becomes very apparent, and an instant later the tailwheel up-lock fails.

I don't know the size of the torque tube connecting the left/right elevator on a '51, however it probably took a moment (hundredths of a second?) to apply some (or most?) of the elevator deflection to the right elevator (i.e. balance the left/right elevator deflection somewhat).

At the incredible pitch rate which followed, there was probably almost no roll stability (a couple of left/right roll oscillations would indicate this), especially since the aircraft was probably not being controlled by Jimmy any more.

Regardless of the cause, I am astounded by Jimmy's reaction time on the initial movement, and speculate that if he'd had only an additional second of consciousness, it's very likely he may have had the aircraft under control and pointed upward and away from people.

I mean no disrespect in any way to the experienced opinions here that have indicated wake turbulence as the initial cause of this terrible accident. I only render an opinion.

May the races continue.

I will miss Jimmy and the Ghost - as will we all.

[First time Juke]

Re: Final Flight of the Ghost *video*

Wayne asked for me to say a few words on the video just released. This is an incredible release and certainly shows what Jimmy was dealing with. I can tell you from my experience with Stiletto that being in that same spot with a pitching stallion Jimmy had his hands full. The video clearly shows the upset from the dirty air he flew through to the sudden dig and overloading of the aircraft great enough to pop the tailwheel out. In addition you will notice that the elevator flutter did not occur until almost half way through the pull indicating that the flutter did in fact not cause the pitch up. Its pretty evident with the violence of the pull up that Jimmy was put to sleep almost immediately as his head never reappears. He made a great recovery on the roll portion only to be hit with a sudden and uncontrollable pitch up. King Kong could not have save this plane. Jimmy was as seasoned as they get and certainly was qualified to race this plane contrary to what some have said in the media. It was just being in the wrong place at the wrong time with a super clipped little aileron airplane. Its a real shame to loose a gentleman like Jimmy and have this tragedy affect so many people on the ground.

Yeah...amen to this !

[badettmann]

Re: Final Flight of the Ghost *video*

[QUOTE=Coyote Chris;93806]... Rara would incorporate this into their footage they were taking for their DVD, include the T-shirt, and promote it so that even more folk give money to a memorial fund.

Sadly RARA did not do a DVD this year as they did not recoup their expenses from last year. I went to pre-pay for my copy of 2011 and that is what they told me at one of the stands...

[NagExpress]

Re: Final Flight of the Ghost *video*

Jason, great job...

[gp70442]

Re: Final Flight of the Ghost *video*

Excellent work again Jason. Thank you for that.

Put me on the list for a copy if you can do it.

GP

[John H]

Re: Final Flight of the Ghost *video*

Thanks Jason, this really sheds some amazing light on this!

[RBriscoe]

Re: Final Flight of the Ghost *video*

If you ever wondered about the stall characteristics of a stock P-51, let alone a race prepared one, here is a flight test which includes limited stall testing. It is an interesting read.

http://www.flyingmag.com/aircrafts/pistons/jet-jockey-flies-p-51-mustang?page=0,1